For the passed three weeks Summer has been very vocal. I've ignored it for over two weeks but it's getting worse so I tried picking her up every time she shouted, this had no effect so I've been trying squirting her with water, this is working, but now she's only quiet when she sees me with the water bottle, as soon as I'm out of sight she starts again.
I don't mind a noisy chicken, I've gotten used to it, but this is constant, even when I'm not in the garden I can hear her from the house. She just paces up and down the run shouting, like she wants to be out (I don't let my girls FR).
Is there anything else I can do? Don't mind her being a bit shouty but would like a break from it now and then.
Oh I would also like to add that they have trees and plants in their run, extra levels, they get fresh cut grass every week and all the ground gets raked over daily for them to rummage through. I've hung a cabbage up for them and they also get mealworms most days (I make sure she's quiet for at least 10 seconds before giving treats, don't want to enforce the shouting in anyway). But none of this helps, she'll scoff her treats/have a quick scratch around for not even a few minutes and then get back to shouting, I've tried to make sure she's not bored, all the others are always occupied and quiet, but nothing seems to stop her from shouting for longer than 5 minutes
I've got two Light Sussex hens that are VERY SHOUTY! Fortunately, this is only in short bursts but I can imagine how wearing it must be.
Tanner, one of the LS, went on for ages the other day and we finally worked out that there was a whippy tree branch blowing about and she saw this as a threat. Later in the day when the wind eased down she shut up.
In such an enriched environment, could there be something that is spooking your vocal girl? Who knows how a chicken's mind works?
Bea; 19 hens (most of whom I intended to get); 6 bantams (which I never intended to have); old Benji dog and young Toby dog (who I definitely wanted). Three years into country living and loving it.
Oh I never thought she was feeling threatened! I will have a look around, but its not been windy the passed few days so I'm not sure what it could be. I do think she wants to be out though, when the dogs have chews or a carrot outside Summer marches up and down the run shouting trying to get a better look as she wants some too
She is learning with the water now though, which is good. Had a fairly peaceful afternoon. I also gave them a tray of water with mealworms in and that kept her occupied for over half an hour!
Mine kicked off yesterday, which is unusual for them. I was sitting beside the run having a cuppa and the dog was sitting with me. Think, for some odd reason, they felt threatened. Strange really because Nico wanders about the garden on a regular basis, so not sure what it was all about. Went on for about 5 mins and then they quietened down again. Xxxx Lorna
I`m not a teacher for nothing, you know!! If I was clever, I`d be dangerous.
Has anyone got any other ideas of what I can do about the noise?
The chickens run is at the end of the garden, I've been sat in the living room most of the day at the front of the house, windows closed, and all I've been able to hear is "cluuuuuuuuuck cluck cluck cluck, cluuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck cluck cluck cluck", it's driving me bonkers. I've been hiding around the back of the coop out of sight and when she starts I''ve been squirting her with water, but the water seems to have no effect any more.
I really have no idea what she's shouting about. The past few days she's not even been pacing the run so it doesn't seem like she wants to be out anymore, have checked her over and she's fine and healthy, she just scratches around for 2 seconds, shouts, gets some food, shouts, has one gulp of water, shouts, has another gulp etc. There seems to be no actual reason she's doing this, from what I can tell, she just shouts about her daily activities.
What can I do other than stick ear plugs in and give some to my neighbours?
We introduced two new girls yesterday. Our 4 Warrens have always been quiet, the Sussex are shouty. The two new Lohmans are allegedly quiet birds, but all 8 have been shouting the odds all morning. It hasn't got to me yet, but I can see how it might. My neighbours are very understanding but the are assuming that as the newbie integrate things will calm down.
Good luck with yours. Honestly, there's no reasoning with chickens.
Bea; 19 hens (most of whom I intended to get); 6 bantams (which I never intended to have); old Benji dog and young Toby dog (who I definitely wanted). Three years into country living and loving it.
bmpsands wrote:We introduced two new girls yesterday. Our 4 Warrens have always been quiet, the Sussex are shouty. The two new Lohmans are allegedly quiet birds, but all 8 have been shouting the odds all morning. It hasn't got to me yet, but I can see how it might. My neighbours are very understanding but the are assuming that as the newbie integrate things will calm down.
Good luck with yours. Honestly, there's no reasoning with chickens.
I hope your introduction goes smoothly :)
My other chickens are very quiet, so I don't think it's anything disturbing them or anything like that, I have triple checked but I definitely haven't sneaked anymore chickens home, honest! My last top hen, Roxy, was a loud ex-batt, very loud, but with her it wasn't all the time, just morning usually, and the neighbours didn't seem to mind. But in summer with the windows and doors open I expect it's driving them as loopy as it's driving me.
I've tried having a chat with her, but as you say, no reasoning
One of my welsummers is a gobby tart. She shouts if one of the others is laying, she shouts when they've finished, she shouts because she wants to lay. Shouts even louder if there's already someone in the nest box, and shouts when she has laid herself. She hits this particular frequency that can grate right through the brain! But with her it's mostly laying related.
I do get the occasional early morning shout from the coop alarm call, but no idea which one it is.
.................................... 
